Self-adjusting pipe wrench



April 28, 1953 L. HOUDESHELDT 2,636,412 SELF-ADJUSTING PIPE WRENCH Filed March 10, 1950 6: lm'mlm 2/ Z la {her ffouaesbefa i 25 Attorney Patented Apr. 28, 1953 SELF-ADJUSTING PIPE WRENCH Luther Houdesheldt, Garden Grove, Iowa, as-

signer of one-half to Clair C. Arnold, Garden Grove, Iowa Application March 10, 1950, Serial No. 148,820

The present invention relates to a self-adjusting pipe' wrench and it consists in the combinations, constructionsand arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a self-adjusting pipe wrench having an elongated shank provided with a fixed jaw laterally extending from the outer end thereof, a shaft extending alongside the shank and having a jaw formed in its outer end and which jaw is adapted to cooperate with the fixed jaw. A longitudinal slot is formed in the shank and a block is slidably mounted therein. A spring is also mounted in the slot and is arranged to urge the block in a forward direction. A link interconnects the block with the shaft adjacent the forward end thereof and a bell crank lever forming an operating handle for the device has the outer end of its shorter arm pivotally connected to the rear end of the shaft and has its fulcrum pivotally and adjustably connected with the inner end of the shank.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a self-adjusting pipe wrench of the character set forth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and which is effective and efilcient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a device of the character set forth of a novel spring-actuated pivot block forming a part of the invention.

A still further object of the invention is the provision in a device of the character set forth of a novel link and lever arrangement for multiplying the pressure ratio between the operating handle and jaws of a wrench.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention with an operating handle forming a part of the invention removed therefrom,

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the operating handle attached,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2 but showing the operating handle attached to the device in another manner,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 1, and

.along line 56 of Figure 3.

1 Claim. (01. 81-126) 2 h Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional viewtaken Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown therein a self-adjusting pipe .wrench provided with an elongated shank l0 having an integrally formedlaterally extending fixed jaw H at its outer end and provided centrally with a longitudinally extending slot l2 having opposed trackways I3 upon which is slidably arranged a pivot block M which is urged outwardly by means of a compression spring l5 interposed between its inner end and the inner end of the slot l2.

A shaft I6 is arranged alongside the shank ID and is provided with a jaw H at its outer end which jaw is provided with a serrated face l8 which is positioned opposite the jaw H which is likewise provided with a serrated face I9.

A pair of links 26 is arranged one upon either side of the shank l0 and shaft I6 and 'are conconnected by means of a bolt 2| provided with a nut 22 to the pivot block it at one of their ends and by means of a rivet 23 to the shaft 16 immediately rearwardly of the jaw I1.

A bell crank lever, generally indicated at 24, is provided with a relatively short arm 25 and a relatively long arm 26. An opening 21 is provided in the bell crank 24 adjacent the outer end of the shorter arm 25 and an opening 28 is provided in the bell crank at its fulcrum point. The inner end of the shank I0 is provided with a plurality of openings 29 and the inner end of the shaft I6 is provided with an opening 30.

In operation, it will be apparent that the device may be utilized without the use of the bell crank lever 24 and shown in Figure 1 wherein the jaws II and ll may grip a pipe 3| by placing the serrated faces l9 and i8, respectively, thereagainst. It will be understood that the spring 15 will urge the pivot block in an outward direction, that is to say in a direction toward the fixed jaw H, and that thereafter the shaft I6 may be moved downwardly, as viewed in Figure 1, to thereby further grip the sides of the pipe and to turn the same.

When it is desired to provide additional leverage, the bell crank lever may be arranged in the manner shown in Figure 2 wherein the opening 21 in the shorter arm 25 may be pivotally connected with any one of the openings 29 by means of a bolt or the like and the fulcrum opening 28 connected with the shank it through the open ing 30 by like means. In this case it will be readily apparent that a downward movement of the longer arm 26 will cause much greater power to be applied to the pipe because of the ratio in length between the arms 26 and 25.

Likewise it will be apparent that the bell crank may be utilized in the manner shown in Figure 3 wherein the shaft I6 is connected with the outer end of the arm 25 by extending a bolt or the like through :the openingsll and 3B and extending a bolt or the likethrough the fulcrumiopening ifi and a seleted opening'29 in the shank l0. Here too a downward movement of the arm 26 will cause great pressure to be exerted upon the movable jaw I! in its coasting relation'with'itheifixed jaw II. It will also be seen that the movable jaw I! will always come irito immediate contact with the pipe to be turned duetothe fact'that the pivot block 14 is at all times urged in a direction toward the fixed jaw I I.

While but one form of the invention-has been shown and described herein it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many nilnormodificatiorrs maybe-made without departing from the spiritofthe invention orthe=soope iif 'theappended wclaim.

A* deviceofth'epharacterdescrihedcomprising an "elongated shank *h'aving a longitudinal slot therein, afixedjawlaterally extending from the forward end of "said TShEIlk, :a "shaft arranged at .one' siii'eofsaidsliank in'p'arallel relation thereto, lfa' j'awfrormed on the"forwar'd endofsai'd shaft "in opposed relation to the"fixed'jaw,a pivot blok "Slidable in'the "slot, a compression spring interposed between the block and the rear end of the slot, a pair of opposed links having spaced pivots interconnecting the block and the shaft at a point adjacent the jaw end of the shaft, and a bell crank lever having a relatively long handle portion and a relatively short arm, said short arm having spaced hpivots ,pivotally .,interconnecting thelrear ends ofsaid shaft andshankpsaid slot having a pair of opposed trackways and said block having grooves for receiving said trackways, and said short arm having its pivotal points at isubstantiallyithe same distance apart as the distance between the pivotal points of said links.

LUTHER HOUDESHELDT.

Rferencesbitrtii in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 109;??? 'Maiilo'n Nov."29,I8 0 8243081 'Reyndlds "Jun'e' 19, 1906 902,080 Holman "Oot."27,f1908 969,538 Jessup Sept. 6, '1910 1,063 848 Bowen June '3, 1913 113979162 "Smith Nov." 15,1921 "1',"714", I8 "Goldstraw May 21, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS fNuniber Country :Date

435,077 -Fran'ce Dec. 15,4911 $48,542 France 'Aug. 4, 1928 

